* * *
Everythin' destroyed. Ta paraphrase one from the poet: so much depends on a glass o' water. That big hunk o' tinfoil had practically run into me in th' hall, glass in hand. It all went downhill from there. Ah touched him as long as Ah dared. Ah never took in so much of anyone's power before. All Ah knew was that Ah had ta give Remy time ta finish up an' get away with the information.
Ah won't lie an' pretend the firebug forced me ta shoot him, or that the gun went off in my hands either. Ah was tryin' ta get a handle on the powers Ah'd absorbed and he was comin' down the hall like he had other plans. He had that look in his eye that Scott sometimes gets despite his "sensitive man o' the new millennium" persona. Pure John Wayne. He was just itchin' ta take me down on his own.
"Hold it right there, cowboy," Ah muttered, raisin' the gun. My skin was developin' a silvery color. Ah heard Logan's voice in my ear tellin' me ta squeeze the trigger, not pull it. A surge o' anger ripped through me because the firebug was standin' between me and my friends. Ah squeezed the trigger. The bullet went into his shoulder like Ah'd planned an' he dropped ta the floor.
Ah knew he wouldn't be down long an' Ah devoted all my energy ta raisin' th' armor. It was just about perfect timin', really, because almost as soon as Ah did, the firebug recovered enough ta be angry. All hell broke loose.
Maybe it's better Ah only remember th' battle in splinters. It's flame an' noise an' th' smell o' smoke. It was strange ta be inside the skin. Everythin' seemed far away an' Ah was too clumsy, like what wearin' a space suit must be like.
When only Magneto an' I were left, it turned into a game o' chicken. Ah could feel th' powers fadin' but Ah also knew he had ta leave first if Ah ever wanted a moment's rest again. Heat was seepin' into my body.
"What do ya want?" Ah finally yelled. Magneto stopped firin' and just hovered there, lookin' at me. Ah almost laughed, Ah was so tired an' sore an' relieved. He actually looked like he was considerin' my question. It was a long time before he replied.
"The continuing work." Somethin' in his expression looked like sadness, an' Ah wondered if he was already mournin' the loss o' his house. But Ah didn't know what ta say ta that. Ah didn't know what work he meant. Right then Ah didn't want ta know. It was getting uncomfortable. The armor was fadin' away, Ah could hear it sizzle. Sounded like Pop Rocks. "Did Gambit bring you here?" he asked, almost conversational.
"Ah don't know what ya mean."
"Remy LeBeau. Did he bring you here? You two are working together, are you not?"
If he thought he was intimidatin' anythin' outta me he had another think comin'. Ah set my jaw. "Ah'm not workin' with anyone."
It was pretty damn obvious he didn't believe me, but when th' ceilin' fell down his interrogation was cut short.
Ah used th' last o' the powers ta get myself ta the first floor and make my exit outta one o' the back windows. Crawlin' into th' woods with cuts an' burns on my arms an' legs is somethin' Ah hope never ta have ta do again. The last o' the mornin' dew was meltin' away under th' sun. Amazin' ta think all that had happened an' there was still a whole day ahead.
Ah went as far as my body would take me an' collapsed. Pain ran through my limbs like a charge. The clothes Remy'd given me looked even worse than my uniform had. Ah'd lost the gloves completely. My head hurt. Touching it gingerly Ah could tell that some o' my hair had burned off in places. Ah felt tears buildin' in the back o' my throat, but Ah swallowed 'em.
Ah drifted in an' outta sleep replayin' scenes inside my head, remembrin' Remy's face when he held the disk. Remy wanted ta save me with that disk. Ah shoulda let him, Ah thought darkly. But Ah knew if the situation were the same a thousand times Ah'd make the same decision a thousand times. Ah never woulda forgiven him if Ah thought he'd sacrificed the others ta save me, even if Ah found out they were okay after. Ah never coulda forgiven myself for lettin' him do it.
There're just moments when everythin' gets real clear--crystallized so ya can see every side--an' right then, lyin' on the ground, half my hair burned off, Ah could see it all. Everythin' he'd done was for me. The sweetness o' that thought was like honey on my tongue. He hadn't cared 'bout everyone else. How could he? He didn't know them. But he'd been willin' ta save them for my sake. He'd called himself un sous-colline de terre (a scoundrel) an' until that moment Ah woulda believed him. He tried so hard ta play the part.
Ah had slipped off into a light sleep when Ah heard voices. Two o' them. They were in the ruins, callin' ta each other. The big, gruff voice had ta be Sabretooth an' the other one was Piotr, th' tincan. Just hearin' him conjured a swirl o' images: a dark-haired family, a farm somewhere, soldiers, explosions, fear an' anger.
"You find it yet?" Sabretooth growled.
"This is not as easy as you might think, my friend," Piotr grunted back. "Strong as I am, I cannot move tons of rubble as if it were nothing."
"Weakling," Sabretooth muttered. Ah think it was supposed ta be quiet, but Sabretooth ain't much for subtlety.
"Perhaps you should help more and talk less."
"Perhaps I should shut that mouth fer ya," Sabretooth replied. Ah remember thinkin' it was th' wittiest thing Ah'd ever heard him say.
"It would be faster if Magneto were here."
"Ah, he's too busy with Gambit. Never did trust that bastard."
"Nothing like a broken finger to inspire the loyalty of your men," Piotr observed dryly.
It was as if a cold hand had grabbed my heart, but there was nothin' Ah could do. Ah didn't want ta risk detection. Ah was in no shape ta fight anyone right then. Few minutes after Piotr an' Sabretooth left Ah heard a scream like somebody bein' ripped in two. Ah bit my lip, forced myself ta stay where Ah was. Blinked back tears.
By nightfall Ah was crazy with worry. Ah'd felt Magneto's attack through Piotr's armor so what chance did Remy have? As Mr. McCoy pointed out ta us over an' over, th' human body is fragile. Ah staggered ta my feet. My body felt numb from stayin' in one place so long. Ah crept along, watchin' out for sticks an' piles o' dead leaves, but when Ah got to a place where Ah could see the front o' the house, they were gone. Cautiously, Ah made my way outta the woods.
Ah could see where they'd been. Ah could see where they'd put th' firebug because th' grass was matted down, colored with a few drops o' blood. Looked black in the dim light. When Ah found more blood a little ways off, Ah started ta worry. Ah told myself it was just more o' the same, but Ah couldn't make myself believe it.
Off ta my left, somethin' winked in th' moonlight. Once Ah got closer Ah realized it was a single card--ace o' hearts. The tension in my chest eased up. "C'mon, Remy, tell me where you are," Ah mumbled. Ah never expected th' answer ta be so literal. Nearby in the dirt, hidden under a low bush he'd scrawled one word: GENOSHA.
* * *
"Tell me about the girl," Magneto said, his voice low.
"Julienne? She nobody special, but y' know dat already. Y' know all de secrets, Lord Magneto." I'm sorry, Rogue. Tried my best, chère. Mebbe de best of a t'ief ain't good 'nough to do anyt'ing but lie. My mind was racing. If I could get myself outta dis jam, dere would be all de time in de world later t' mourn. For once, I wanted de slow luxury of sadness.
Magneto's wrist twitched. My feet left de ground. "You know which girl I mean. The x-man. Rogue I believe her name is."
Her bright gray eyes. Her sharp wit. Her chestnut hair. Her hard fists. Her full lips. Her iron will. Played like a song inside my head or a cunja (spell), but I had t' ignore it for de time being.
Widened my eyes an' did my best t' fake fear. Wasn't a long way from my current situation. Good, I t'ought. Use de emotion. Control it. Dere wasn't a muscle in my face I couldn't control. "Don't know what you talking 'bout, Lord Magneto. De x-men are my enemies."
Den his invisible hand closed 'round my throat. Shot high in de air. I kept my eyes from narrowing. Was one t'ing t' kill a man wit' your own hand, but Magneto always did it from a distance. No honor in dat. "I know you're lying."
"Alohrs pas (of course not). Wouldn't do dat," I gasped out. "Gain not'ing by dat." Use what he t'inks about you against him. Let him continue to believe according t' his prejudice.
"Tell me what you were doing in the computer room. Tell me what you stole from me." De grip tightened. I saw stars for de second time in two days. Dis becoming a bad habit.
"Trask," I croaked.
Don't know what he was expecting, but it wasn't dat. Another trick t' lying is telling de truth once in a great while. Misdirection is de mark of a good t'ief, what links us to de magicians. Magneto blinked, de grip relaxed and he lowered me till I was a foot off de ground. "Why would you want to know about Trask?" Den a look of comprehension settled in his face. "You wanted to help that girl to find her friends. You would betray me for your own appetites." I started t' rise again.
"I never betrayed you! Wanted t' save you, avenge de attack on you! It was my responsibility. Should've protected you in de first place! I got nobody, no family, but I wanted you t'..."
Dat's when he dropped me. I was about 3 feet up and landed hard. "Your nose is bleeding." I raised my hand t' my face and my fingers came away bright wit' blood. Wiped it on de grass. Still tasted de copper in my mouth from when I bit my lip. "If you wanted information concerning Trask, why didn't you just ask me instead of stealing it?"
He was warming. Felt a little thrill. No one plays de game better dan me. I looked away t' make him t'ink I was shamed. "It was my business. I didn't want John or Piotr t' get de credit."
"Very well," he said, still cagey.
I allowed myself a small sigh--just right. Family always be de touchy subject for ol' Magneto. Didn't know de details 'bout him an' Pietro an' Wanda, but I didn't need t' know dem either. De confidence game is always sight-reading an' improvisation. Once I heard Magneto's tune I play it from memory. "Merci."
"See that it doesn't happen again. I've no room for loose cannons or cowboys or Cajuns who should know better. A man should only put his faith in ideas, Gambit. They're the only thing in this world that won't let you down in the end."
"Yes, Lord Magneto," I said, wiping de blood from my face wit' de back of my hand.
"Go clean off your face. We'll speak again later."
Obediently, I climbed t' my feet and headed into de woods. Not too far in, near de back o' de house was un petite stream. Used t' make it a game t' see how far I could go wit'out makin' a sound. My record was five miles. Hard in de woods, everyt'ing leaves a trace if y' know how t' look for it. Even though I grow up in a landscape different from dis as night from day, I taught myself de signs: branches broken t' show de green inside, bits of fur caught in low bushes, leaves disturbed on de forest floor. Dat's how I knew someone was dere in de woods wit' me. De signs pointed de way as clear t' me as bright lights flashing.
De trail led t' a thicket, dark and deep as de line goes. I was on cat feet all de way. Dere was a rising, fluttering feeling in my chest, but I didn't dare let hope into my mind until I saw her. My strength left me in a rush. She looked de worse for wear, but not'ing terrible. She was breathing, deep and slow, sleeping. Don't know how long I stood dere. I wanted t' wake her, but I knew we'd never get away. Magneto had tightened his fists on me and I didn't t'ink he'd hesitate t' do de same t' her. Better if no one knew. Safer.
I wanted t' stay wit' her until she woke up, but even dat be dangerous. Lucky t'ing dat de scent from de fire overpower Sabretooth's nose, but I didn't t'ink dat his hearing was less sharp for it. All it would take was one cry t' bring him down on her head. I heard dem in de ruins. Rogue stirred. Just one more look, I bargained, but I had been gone too long. De thrum o' insects in de trees covered my retreat.
Quickly, I washed my face and hands. Blood a hard t'ing t' get rid of. It creeps into cracks in de body as if it were tryin' t' find its way home. Piotr and Sabretooth came back from de rubble at about de same time as I came back from de stream. Dey had Magneto's box. It was roughly de size o' de one Rogue had pulled out of Xavier's house, but instead of guns, it held backups t' all of Magneto's files. Struck me as funny dat while Xavier, de great pacifist hid guns Magneto, de great terrorist hid knowledge.
"John does not look so good," Piotr observed. Boy always did have too much heart, but dis time I had t' agree wit' him. John's face was a sickly yellow and covered wit' sweat.
"That bitch shot me," he moaned.
My fingernails dug into my palms, left stinging marks. "Y' burned de house down, John," I pointed out. "Que tu es emmerdant (you really piss me off)."
Magneto put his hand on my shoulder. I remembered t' flinch just enough t' stroke his pride. "That's enough, Gambit." He put his hand over John's wound. John howled t' make my hair stand on end. Dere was a sucking sound and den de bullet was in Magneto's hand. He dropped it wit' distaste. "You will live," he announced dryly. "Get up. We're wasting time here." Shaking, John obeyed. He leaned heavily on Piotr.
"Where are we going?" Piotr really was de babe in de woods when it came t' Magneto.
"I have business to conduct with Mr. Trask," Magneto said. De way his brows lowered, I knew dat it wouldn't be business at all. Couldn't help de twist of my lips at dat. 'No room for loose cannons' indeed.
"And where would dat be, or can't you tell us?" I baited him, but only a little. He felt at de disadvantage and I figured he'd jump at de chance t' get in his little dig. 'Integrity of the work' or not, Magneto's a man in de end, just like anyone.
He smiled deliberately. Cold. "I don't know if I can trust you not to go running off half-cocked again."
I looked around t' see Sabretooth, John and even Piotr smiling in satisfaction at my humiliation. Dey still t'ought anyt'ing dat made me weaker made dem stronger. Everyt'ing rebelled at de verbal boot-licking, but I t'ought o' de disk and Trask and of Rogue in de bushes and den told him what he needed t' hear. "I should never have gone wit'out your permission."
Magneto's tongue darted out quick t' wet his lips. Only I saw. De man run on power. "Trask has extensive laboratories on Genosha. Mystique will secure the jet."
Should have left it alone, not dragged Rogue across de ocean wit' me. Hear Genosha's nice dis time o' year. Den I rationalized. Tried t' be practical. Told myself dat I just couldn't do it alone. Was one t'ing t' get in and out wit' information or valuables, was another t' steal people. De fact o' de matter was, didn't want t' do it alone. Let de card flutter t' de ground. Wrote de word under de bush. Was her choice t' go or stay. Would be our time in paradise. Had t' smile bitterly at dat.
Everythin' destroyed. Ta paraphrase one from the poet: so much depends on a glass o' water. That big hunk o' tinfoil had practically run into me in th' hall, glass in hand. It all went downhill from there. Ah touched him as long as Ah dared. Ah never took in so much of anyone's power before. All Ah knew was that Ah had ta give Remy time ta finish up an' get away with the information.
Ah won't lie an' pretend the firebug forced me ta shoot him, or that the gun went off in my hands either. Ah was tryin' ta get a handle on the powers Ah'd absorbed and he was comin' down the hall like he had other plans. He had that look in his eye that Scott sometimes gets despite his "sensitive man o' the new millennium" persona. Pure John Wayne. He was just itchin' ta take me down on his own.
"Hold it right there, cowboy," Ah muttered, raisin' the gun. My skin was developin' a silvery color. Ah heard Logan's voice in my ear tellin' me ta squeeze the trigger, not pull it. A surge o' anger ripped through me because the firebug was standin' between me and my friends. Ah squeezed the trigger. The bullet went into his shoulder like Ah'd planned an' he dropped ta the floor.
Ah knew he wouldn't be down long an' Ah devoted all my energy ta raisin' th' armor. It was just about perfect timin', really, because almost as soon as Ah did, the firebug recovered enough ta be angry. All hell broke loose.
Maybe it's better Ah only remember th' battle in splinters. It's flame an' noise an' th' smell o' smoke. It was strange ta be inside the skin. Everythin' seemed far away an' Ah was too clumsy, like what wearin' a space suit must be like.
When only Magneto an' I were left, it turned into a game o' chicken. Ah could feel th' powers fadin' but Ah also knew he had ta leave first if Ah ever wanted a moment's rest again. Heat was seepin' into my body.
"What do ya want?" Ah finally yelled. Magneto stopped firin' and just hovered there, lookin' at me. Ah almost laughed, Ah was so tired an' sore an' relieved. He actually looked like he was considerin' my question. It was a long time before he replied.
"The continuing work." Somethin' in his expression looked like sadness, an' Ah wondered if he was already mournin' the loss o' his house. But Ah didn't know what ta say ta that. Ah didn't know what work he meant. Right then Ah didn't want ta know. It was getting uncomfortable. The armor was fadin' away, Ah could hear it sizzle. Sounded like Pop Rocks. "Did Gambit bring you here?" he asked, almost conversational.
"Ah don't know what ya mean."
"Remy LeBeau. Did he bring you here? You two are working together, are you not?"
If he thought he was intimidatin' anythin' outta me he had another think comin'. Ah set my jaw. "Ah'm not workin' with anyone."
It was pretty damn obvious he didn't believe me, but when th' ceilin' fell down his interrogation was cut short.
Ah used th' last o' the powers ta get myself ta the first floor and make my exit outta one o' the back windows. Crawlin' into th' woods with cuts an' burns on my arms an' legs is somethin' Ah hope never ta have ta do again. The last o' the mornin' dew was meltin' away under th' sun. Amazin' ta think all that had happened an' there was still a whole day ahead.
Ah went as far as my body would take me an' collapsed. Pain ran through my limbs like a charge. The clothes Remy'd given me looked even worse than my uniform had. Ah'd lost the gloves completely. My head hurt. Touching it gingerly Ah could tell that some o' my hair had burned off in places. Ah felt tears buildin' in the back o' my throat, but Ah swallowed 'em.
Ah drifted in an' outta sleep replayin' scenes inside my head, remembrin' Remy's face when he held the disk. Remy wanted ta save me with that disk. Ah shoulda let him, Ah thought darkly. But Ah knew if the situation were the same a thousand times Ah'd make the same decision a thousand times. Ah never woulda forgiven him if Ah thought he'd sacrificed the others ta save me, even if Ah found out they were okay after. Ah never coulda forgiven myself for lettin' him do it.
There're just moments when everythin' gets real clear--crystallized so ya can see every side--an' right then, lyin' on the ground, half my hair burned off, Ah could see it all. Everythin' he'd done was for me. The sweetness o' that thought was like honey on my tongue. He hadn't cared 'bout everyone else. How could he? He didn't know them. But he'd been willin' ta save them for my sake. He'd called himself un sous-colline de terre (a scoundrel) an' until that moment Ah woulda believed him. He tried so hard ta play the part.
Ah had slipped off into a light sleep when Ah heard voices. Two o' them. They were in the ruins, callin' ta each other. The big, gruff voice had ta be Sabretooth an' the other one was Piotr, th' tincan. Just hearin' him conjured a swirl o' images: a dark-haired family, a farm somewhere, soldiers, explosions, fear an' anger.
"You find it yet?" Sabretooth growled.
"This is not as easy as you might think, my friend," Piotr grunted back. "Strong as I am, I cannot move tons of rubble as if it were nothing."
"Weakling," Sabretooth muttered. Ah think it was supposed ta be quiet, but Sabretooth ain't much for subtlety.
"Perhaps you should help more and talk less."
"Perhaps I should shut that mouth fer ya," Sabretooth replied. Ah remember thinkin' it was th' wittiest thing Ah'd ever heard him say.
"It would be faster if Magneto were here."
"Ah, he's too busy with Gambit. Never did trust that bastard."
"Nothing like a broken finger to inspire the loyalty of your men," Piotr observed dryly.
It was as if a cold hand had grabbed my heart, but there was nothin' Ah could do. Ah didn't want ta risk detection. Ah was in no shape ta fight anyone right then. Few minutes after Piotr an' Sabretooth left Ah heard a scream like somebody bein' ripped in two. Ah bit my lip, forced myself ta stay where Ah was. Blinked back tears.
By nightfall Ah was crazy with worry. Ah'd felt Magneto's attack through Piotr's armor so what chance did Remy have? As Mr. McCoy pointed out ta us over an' over, th' human body is fragile. Ah staggered ta my feet. My body felt numb from stayin' in one place so long. Ah crept along, watchin' out for sticks an' piles o' dead leaves, but when Ah got to a place where Ah could see the front o' the house, they were gone. Cautiously, Ah made my way outta the woods.
Ah could see where they'd been. Ah could see where they'd put th' firebug because th' grass was matted down, colored with a few drops o' blood. Looked black in the dim light. When Ah found more blood a little ways off, Ah started ta worry. Ah told myself it was just more o' the same, but Ah couldn't make myself believe it.
Off ta my left, somethin' winked in th' moonlight. Once Ah got closer Ah realized it was a single card--ace o' hearts. The tension in my chest eased up. "C'mon, Remy, tell me where you are," Ah mumbled. Ah never expected th' answer ta be so literal. Nearby in the dirt, hidden under a low bush he'd scrawled one word: GENOSHA.
* * *
"Tell me about the girl," Magneto said, his voice low.
"Julienne? She nobody special, but y' know dat already. Y' know all de secrets, Lord Magneto." I'm sorry, Rogue. Tried my best, chère. Mebbe de best of a t'ief ain't good 'nough to do anyt'ing but lie. My mind was racing. If I could get myself outta dis jam, dere would be all de time in de world later t' mourn. For once, I wanted de slow luxury of sadness.
Magneto's wrist twitched. My feet left de ground. "You know which girl I mean. The x-man. Rogue I believe her name is."
Her bright gray eyes. Her sharp wit. Her chestnut hair. Her hard fists. Her full lips. Her iron will. Played like a song inside my head or a cunja (spell), but I had t' ignore it for de time being.
Widened my eyes an' did my best t' fake fear. Wasn't a long way from my current situation. Good, I t'ought. Use de emotion. Control it. Dere wasn't a muscle in my face I couldn't control. "Don't know what you talking 'bout, Lord Magneto. De x-men are my enemies."
Den his invisible hand closed 'round my throat. Shot high in de air. I kept my eyes from narrowing. Was one t'ing t' kill a man wit' your own hand, but Magneto always did it from a distance. No honor in dat. "I know you're lying."
"Alohrs pas (of course not). Wouldn't do dat," I gasped out. "Gain not'ing by dat." Use what he t'inks about you against him. Let him continue to believe according t' his prejudice.
"Tell me what you were doing in the computer room. Tell me what you stole from me." De grip tightened. I saw stars for de second time in two days. Dis becoming a bad habit.
"Trask," I croaked.
Don't know what he was expecting, but it wasn't dat. Another trick t' lying is telling de truth once in a great while. Misdirection is de mark of a good t'ief, what links us to de magicians. Magneto blinked, de grip relaxed and he lowered me till I was a foot off de ground. "Why would you want to know about Trask?" Den a look of comprehension settled in his face. "You wanted to help that girl to find her friends. You would betray me for your own appetites." I started t' rise again.
"I never betrayed you! Wanted t' save you, avenge de attack on you! It was my responsibility. Should've protected you in de first place! I got nobody, no family, but I wanted you t'..."
Dat's when he dropped me. I was about 3 feet up and landed hard. "Your nose is bleeding." I raised my hand t' my face and my fingers came away bright wit' blood. Wiped it on de grass. Still tasted de copper in my mouth from when I bit my lip. "If you wanted information concerning Trask, why didn't you just ask me instead of stealing it?"
He was warming. Felt a little thrill. No one plays de game better dan me. I looked away t' make him t'ink I was shamed. "It was my business. I didn't want John or Piotr t' get de credit."
"Very well," he said, still cagey.
I allowed myself a small sigh--just right. Family always be de touchy subject for ol' Magneto. Didn't know de details 'bout him an' Pietro an' Wanda, but I didn't need t' know dem either. De confidence game is always sight-reading an' improvisation. Once I heard Magneto's tune I play it from memory. "Merci."
"See that it doesn't happen again. I've no room for loose cannons or cowboys or Cajuns who should know better. A man should only put his faith in ideas, Gambit. They're the only thing in this world that won't let you down in the end."
"Yes, Lord Magneto," I said, wiping de blood from my face wit' de back of my hand.
"Go clean off your face. We'll speak again later."
Obediently, I climbed t' my feet and headed into de woods. Not too far in, near de back o' de house was un petite stream. Used t' make it a game t' see how far I could go wit'out makin' a sound. My record was five miles. Hard in de woods, everyt'ing leaves a trace if y' know how t' look for it. Even though I grow up in a landscape different from dis as night from day, I taught myself de signs: branches broken t' show de green inside, bits of fur caught in low bushes, leaves disturbed on de forest floor. Dat's how I knew someone was dere in de woods wit' me. De signs pointed de way as clear t' me as bright lights flashing.
De trail led t' a thicket, dark and deep as de line goes. I was on cat feet all de way. Dere was a rising, fluttering feeling in my chest, but I didn't dare let hope into my mind until I saw her. My strength left me in a rush. She looked de worse for wear, but not'ing terrible. She was breathing, deep and slow, sleeping. Don't know how long I stood dere. I wanted t' wake her, but I knew we'd never get away. Magneto had tightened his fists on me and I didn't t'ink he'd hesitate t' do de same t' her. Better if no one knew. Safer.
I wanted t' stay wit' her until she woke up, but even dat be dangerous. Lucky t'ing dat de scent from de fire overpower Sabretooth's nose, but I didn't t'ink dat his hearing was less sharp for it. All it would take was one cry t' bring him down on her head. I heard dem in de ruins. Rogue stirred. Just one more look, I bargained, but I had been gone too long. De thrum o' insects in de trees covered my retreat.
Quickly, I washed my face and hands. Blood a hard t'ing t' get rid of. It creeps into cracks in de body as if it were tryin' t' find its way home. Piotr and Sabretooth came back from de rubble at about de same time as I came back from de stream. Dey had Magneto's box. It was roughly de size o' de one Rogue had pulled out of Xavier's house, but instead of guns, it held backups t' all of Magneto's files. Struck me as funny dat while Xavier, de great pacifist hid guns Magneto, de great terrorist hid knowledge.
"John does not look so good," Piotr observed. Boy always did have too much heart, but dis time I had t' agree wit' him. John's face was a sickly yellow and covered wit' sweat.
"That bitch shot me," he moaned.
My fingernails dug into my palms, left stinging marks. "Y' burned de house down, John," I pointed out. "Que tu es emmerdant (you really piss me off)."
Magneto put his hand on my shoulder. I remembered t' flinch just enough t' stroke his pride. "That's enough, Gambit." He put his hand over John's wound. John howled t' make my hair stand on end. Dere was a sucking sound and den de bullet was in Magneto's hand. He dropped it wit' distaste. "You will live," he announced dryly. "Get up. We're wasting time here." Shaking, John obeyed. He leaned heavily on Piotr.
"Where are we going?" Piotr really was de babe in de woods when it came t' Magneto.
"I have business to conduct with Mr. Trask," Magneto said. De way his brows lowered, I knew dat it wouldn't be business at all. Couldn't help de twist of my lips at dat. 'No room for loose cannons' indeed.
"And where would dat be, or can't you tell us?" I baited him, but only a little. He felt at de disadvantage and I figured he'd jump at de chance t' get in his little dig. 'Integrity of the work' or not, Magneto's a man in de end, just like anyone.
He smiled deliberately. Cold. "I don't know if I can trust you not to go running off half-cocked again."
I looked around t' see Sabretooth, John and even Piotr smiling in satisfaction at my humiliation. Dey still t'ought anyt'ing dat made me weaker made dem stronger. Everyt'ing rebelled at de verbal boot-licking, but I t'ought o' de disk and Trask and of Rogue in de bushes and den told him what he needed t' hear. "I should never have gone wit'out your permission."
Magneto's tongue darted out quick t' wet his lips. Only I saw. De man run on power. "Trask has extensive laboratories on Genosha. Mystique will secure the jet."
Should have left it alone, not dragged Rogue across de ocean wit' me. Hear Genosha's nice dis time o' year. Den I rationalized. Tried t' be practical. Told myself dat I just couldn't do it alone. Was one t'ing t' get in and out wit' information or valuables, was another t' steal people. De fact o' de matter was, didn't want t' do it alone. Let de card flutter t' de ground. Wrote de word under de bush. Was her choice t' go or stay. Would be our time in paradise. Had t' smile bitterly at dat.